Hold me 'til I feel no pain
by IHEARTFINCHEL
Summary: Tiva are perfectly happy a few years down the line with a 3 year old, Tali & expecting their 2nd child, when things begin to go drastically wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**My First Tiva Fic... Hope you like it!**

Tony grins as the musical laughter of his three year old, Talia Dinozzo, fills the air, thankful for his weekend away from NCIS to be with his little family. Being Senior Field Agent with a young kid is hard, he's come to realise; he really misses his daughter when he's working – which recently, is a lot. It's surprising, really, how much of a family man he has become, considering how he acted before Ziva flipped his world upside down (in the best way possible). He adores the time he gets to spend with his wife and his daughter because he doesn't often get a lot of it, making it all the more precious. When he and Ziva do find a free weekend away from their hectic job, they usually like to spend it at the park, like today, or going to watch a movie (he hasn't changed _that_ much over the years).

As he looks over at Ziva and the mini-Ziva, just a few feet ahead of him, be can't help but think just how lucky he is to have them in his life. Their hands are joined, Tali gazing up at the older woman with her mother's smile. Tali looks entranced by her mother and Tony's not at all surprised, Ziva's the best mom ever. No doubt about it.

His heart swelling as his favourite girls share a laugh, a strong feeling of needing to be with them overwhelms him and he quickly closes the gap between them, his hand coming to rest on Ziva's hip as he reaches her side. The Israeli leans into his side, her slight bump pressed against him. He smiles as Tali says something nonsensical; _he can't wait_ to have another little her, another little Ziva, because despite his wife's arguments, he knows they're having a baby girl in a few months down the line.

"What are you thinking about?" Ziva whispers, recognizing that look on his face, as Tali continues on about some Disney movie the family watched that morning – like father, like daughter.

"You three," he replies at the same volume. "How much I love spending time with you, how excited I am to meet our new little tatelah."

"Daddy!" Tali squeals, tugging on his leg to gain his attention, one hand on her hip and her face so much like Ziva's he has to firmly bite his lip to keep the laughter from escaping. "You're not listening to me!"

"I am, Princess Tali." He easily picks up the girl, peppering kisses on her dimpled cheeks. "You were talking about that Princess that fights, right?"

"_Mulan_, daddy," she replies, shaking her head at him. "Was talkin' 'bouts Mulan."

"Right. Of course." He should have known; Mulan is his daughter's most favourite Disney princess, closely followed by Ariel and Jasmine.

"Swings!" She squeals in an almost painful high pitch, taking off at a run towards the small swing-set that sits in the middle of the child's play area, her dark ringlets bouncing along as she goes.

"Careful, Talia!" Ziva calls out worriedly, before turning to her husband and saying, "she is _so_ much like you."

"What? No way! Have you seen her? You two are identical."

"Not in appearance. Thought she does seem to have inherited those gorgeous eyes of yours, Dinozzo," she says, smiling sweetly at him. "She talks way too much, is overly-confident and is a total movie puff, at age _three_."

"Movie buff," he corrects, chuckling as she rolls her eyes at him like she always does when he amends her English. "But her favourite film is Mulan and that's about a hot chick going against tradition to fight, which is all _you_, Mrs Dinozzo," he flirts.

"Whatever." She jabs him teasingly in the stomach, making her way to the swings her daughter is currently attempting to get into. Ziva helps her in and begins to gently push, her overprotective-mother-mode deftly ignoring Tali's giggles of "higher, higher!"

"So, this next baby," Tony starts." "Who do you think he or she will be most like?"

"You – well, I hope."

"Really?" He sounds surprised.

"Of course. You are my husband, so I must love _some_ parts of you, yes?" She teases.

"Ha-di-da. Funny that." He pulls a face at her, which she returns. "Seriously, though. Who do you think they'll most be like?"

"If it's a boy – which it is – I think he will be cute, just like his abba."

"I think _she'll_ be amazing, just like her mommy and big sister," Tony replies, his tone too serious for the middle of a children's park and he suddenly wishes they were alone. They don't get much time to act like a married couple, with working in the same team at NCIS. Since the two first announced they were dating, Gibbs enforced new rules (because they tore his last to pieces, something he never fails to mention whenever they complain) that involve the two of them not going out in the field together, unless accompanied by either himself or McGee. After marrying, the rules have become less strict, but Tony still dislikes how he can't hug or kiss his wife at work, especially when she's sat at the desk opposite, looking at him with _those_ eyes and he can't do anything about it. Although he loves times like these when he gets to spend the weekend with her and their daughter and he can't wait for just their husband and wife time tonight at their favourite restaurant in DC.

Ziva smiles up at him, her eyes sparkling. "We love you, Tony."

"I love you, too," he replies, his voice cracking slightly with the emotion.

* * *

_Click! Click! Click!_

The man behind the camera smirks maliciously, having followed them for days and finally getting enough to present to his boss. The images of the family playing at the park and Tony and Ziva sharing a sweet kiss are just what his boss sent him out to get; he is so getting a raise for this one.

He thinks he's found Tony's weakness.


	2. Chapter 2

"Yes, boss," Tony says, his tone conveying his obvious disappointment as he mutters a quick "see you soon, Gibbs" and hangs up his cell. Meeting his wife's questioning eyes, he informs her on the situation. "Dead marine in the local park. Boss wants us there within the hour."

"_What_?" Ziva's eyes bug because she _told_ Gibbs very clearly the other day that herself and Tony weren't available for that evening and to just call in an agent from another team.

"I know," Tony sighs. "I'm upset about it as well, Zi, but there's not much we can do about it. Vance has told Gibbs his senior field agent and junior field agent can _not_ be absent for murder investigations, so."

"But- our date night…"

"We'll rearrange it, ok? We'll do it some other night," he replies comfortingly, gently tugging his wife into his arms for a hug. Rubbing his hand up and down her back, he says, "Who knows, maybe searching the park for evidence on a dark, cold night will be just as fun."

Ziva responds to his attempt at humour with a glare. "And what about Talia? If it's a big case, we will return home much later than expected, if at all, what about her childcare?"

"Gibbs has made arrangements for one of the Probies to look after her until Abs gets there. Apparently they're great with children." Before she can protest, Tony swiftly leans down and covers her lips with his. "It will be fine, Ziva. I promise you. Gibbs wouldn't do anything that would hurt Tali, would he?"

"No," she replies begrudgingly. "He would not."

"Exactly." He smiles encouragingly at her, giving her another sweet kiss. "And, much to my extreme dismay, you gotta change out of that pretty dress."

Ziva pouts a little, and he laughs. "Unzip me?"

"Yes, of course." He slowly pulls down the zipper, his trademark smirk growing on his face as the new underwear she'd bought specifically for that night is revealed. "Mmmm, think anybody would notice if we skipped this crime scene?" Fighting against everything telling her to just do it, Ziva slaps him, telling him firmly that they will be doing no such thing and to get ready to leave.

"Tony, can you tell Mrs Berry next door that we won't be needing her to watch Talia tonight? And then pack her some things to keep her entertained?"

"Yes, boss," he says mockingly, giving her one final kiss before backing out of their bedroom and into their daughter's; as he enters, however, he can't help the jittery feeling that arises in his stomach, like something bad is on the verge of happening and he doesn't like it, not at all.

"Be good, baby," Ziva says softly as she lowers her daughter to the floor, having just pressed kisses all over her tiny little head. They are at the navy yard half an hour later, dropping Tali off before they speed off (quite literally, as Ziva's insisted on driving) to the crime scene where the rest of their team are waiting. "Ignore what she says about us allowing her to stay up late for an extra story," she warns the anxious looking probationary agent. "She must be asleep by eight. I've laid out a blow-up mattress and blanket for her by my desk. Abby will take care of the rest, ok?"

"I think she's got it, Zi. Say goodbye to Tali, we need to go."

Not appreciating him chivvying her along, Ziva shoots her husband a deathly glare. Her eyes softening as she turns to her daughter, she whispers, "laila tov, tatelah. I love you so much, see you in the morning."

"Night, Tali," Tony says, blowing her a kiss and smiling at the way her eyes shine with happiness when her parents interact with her, the feeling never getting old. He takes Ziva's hand and they finally get on their way to the park. After nearly crashing into approximately ten cars, the husband and wife duo arrive at the scene of the naval officer's murder.

Tony announces their arrival with a loud "hey guys" that is met with smiles from McGee, Ducky and Palmer, but a stern look from their boss, obviously annoyed that it took his two best agents so long to get there. "Sorry, boss, Ziva found it hard saying goodbye to Tali… And we were ready to go out for a meal so we had to change and stuff…"

"Rule number six, Dinozzo," the older man says sharply as a reminder of the rules he expects his team to follow, walking over to the pair and slapping the back of Tony's head. "That was for being late. Don't let it happen again. Tony, bag and tag. Ziva, speak to witnesses. McGee, pictures. Now get to work."

An hour later, after determining that the unfortunate woman was killed by a gunshot to her head, the team are still looking for the shell casing, the casing that would help lead them to the killer. Finding nothing, Ziva lets out a disgruntled sigh, pregnancy and being bent over for such a long time taking a toll on her back.

"You ok, Ziver?" Gibbs worriedly asks because although he has perfected his pokerface over the years, it's obvious that he's genuinely concerned about the Israeli.

"Back pain," she mumbles. "I'll be fine… I just-."

Ziva is interrupted by her husbands shout of "Gibbs! Over here!" and the three special agents rush over to wear he is stood, wearing an unreadable expression.

"What ya got, Dinozzo?"

"Um… This…" He holds up a cream envelope. "It's addressed to me…" And so it is. It reads 'Anthony Dinozzo NCIS' on the front in a neat, curly font.

"Why would somebody leave something addressed to you here?" McGee asks, before the penny drops. "Wait. Was this a set-up?"

"What do you mean?"

"The person who wrote this letter knew we'd be investigating the crime scene so they knew you'd find the letter…" He explains. "It wasn't about _this_ marine, they would have killed any marine. She was just the first they saw. It was about getting your attention." He turns to Tony questioningly. "Why?"

"How should I know?" Tony snaps back.

"_Open it, Dinozzo_."

"Right. On it, boss." Tony tears the envelope open, pulling out a single sheet with one line written onto it:

**_Me – 1 You – 0._**

"What the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?" Tony shouts. At that moment, Ziva's phone rings and she answers, ignoring the look Gibbs' gives her. "Abby?"

"_Ziva… oh my god I'm so sorry… don't hate me, I'm really sorry, I should have been here all along… oh my god… oh my god, you're going to hate me-_." Ziva rolls her eyes as the forensic scientist speaks at a million miles an hour, only picking up some of her frantic apology.

"What's wrong, Abby?"

"It's Tali. She's not here."


End file.
